State of Arizona v. Mark Haskie, Jr.

JUSTICE BRUTINEL,

opinion of the Court:

¶ 1 During Mark Haskie, Jr.’s trial on felony charges arising from an incident of domestic violence, Dr. Kathleen Ferraro, testifying as an expert witness, described general behavioral tendencies of adult victims of domestic abuse. Haskie argues that Dr. Ferraro’s testimony should have been excluded as impermissible profile evidence. Because the testimony helped the jury understand the victim’s behavior and was more probative than prejudicial, the trial court did not err in admitting it.

I. BACKGROUND

¶ 2 Haskie assaulted his girlfriend, P. J., at a…